Means for applying dental treatments



J. H. ABBOTT.

MEANS EOR APPLYING DENTAL TREATMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 9, 1913.

Patented Mar. 30, 1920.

lllllfq o V JAMES HERMAN ABBOTT, OFF FI-IILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

MEANS FOR APPLYING DENTAL TREATMENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented lVIar. 30, 1920;

Application filed. April 9, 1913. Serial No. 759,827.

To all whome't may concern: I p I Be it known that I, JAMES HERM kN ABBOTT, a citizen of the United States, reslding at 2534 S. 20th St, Philadelphia,'in the county of Philadelphia and Stateof Pennsylvania, have invented a certainv new and useful Means for Applying Dental Treatments, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is intended for use in the chemical treatment of teeth, as, for example, in the killing of nerves, and my purpose is to make the application of'dental treatments more rapid and reliable and to relieve the patient from pain due to pressure within the chamber formed.

Further purposes will appear in the specification and claims hereof.

I have preferred to illustrate my invention by a form thereof which is simple, practicable, efficient and inexpensive and which at the same time well illustrates the principles involved. I

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tooth to which my invention has been applied.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the structure shown in Fig. 1, g

Fig. 3 is a section correspondlng generally to Fig. 2 of a similar form of my in vention. V

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a tooth showing a difierent location of cavity and one of my cups therein. 7

Fig. 5 is a perspective view ofqthe form of cup preferred by me.

Fig. 6 is a broken section of a modification.

Similar numerals of reference indicate like parts.

In dental nerve treatment, in which my article probably will find its greatest utility, and which I have therefore selected as the example for illustration and description here, a general practice has been to saturate a piece of cotton in a solution of creosote, dip this into arsenic and apply the arsenated ball thus produced to the tooth in proxnmty to the nerve. This ball is then coveredwith any suitable covering, made up in place, to protect the treatment from moisture and mechanical displacement until'the treatment has had time to become effective.

I have found that the pressure inevitably brought to bear upon the nerve by this method of applying the treatment produces a great deal of pain and have therefore sought to relieve the pressure, as well as simplify the application.

I form a cup 1, within which a cotton ball 2 saturated with creosote and supplied with arsenic for the, treatment may be placed. The ball will adhere'readilyflto the inner surface of the cup. I attach the cup to the floor 3 of the cavity 4 by adhesion, fastening it to the floor preferably all the way around the edge 5 of the cup in order that the cup as set may in itself insure mechanical protection and hermetical sealing for the inclosed chamber. This cup then protects the treatment during the application of any other material 6 by which it may be desired to fill the remainder of the cavity temporarily, permitting effective temporary filling to be done much more quickly and safely than is'p'ossible where effort must be made to avoid displacement of or undue pressure upon the chemical used in the treatment.

I prefer to form my cups .or coverings from gutta percha and to take advantage of the adhesive and plastic characteristics of this material when heated for attachment of the edge of the cup to thefioor of the cavity. In order to' facilitate the placing.

of the cups I also apply a lug or projection 7 upon the outside of the cup by which it can be. gripped and handled readily with dental tweezers.

In applying the cup I avoid placing the chemical too close to the canal 8 Within which the nerveto be killed lies. After the ball has been placed within the cup I heat the outer edge 5 as by bringing it i in proximity to an alcohol flameor touching it against a heated spatula sufficiently to I make the adjoining part of the cup plastic and then apply the cup to the point of treatment.

A very gentle-pressure of the cup will force it into union with the floor of the using gutta percha or cement for this purpose. This subsequent filling requires little care and can hence be done very quickly, since the cup itself protects against crowding of the treatment.

I find that the relief from pressure obtained by my protection substantially eliminates pain from nerve treatment.

It will be evident that my means of applying the chemicals within the tooth avoids pressure upon the chemicals and completely seals the interior of the cup surrounding the point of application, notwithstanding any irregularity of the surface against which it" is pressed.

It will be evident that my apparatus is advantageous whether the treatment be applied to the cup by the dentist as contem plated in Figs. 1 to 5 or by the manufacturer or dealer as in Fig. 6, where the cup 1 is provided initially with a deposit, charge or pellet 2 containing the drug required (as, for example, an arsenated paste).

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A non-flexible cup for attachment to a tooth to apply dental applications and having a rim composed of non-flexible material rendered plastic by moderate heat.

2. A non-flexible cup for attachment to a tooth to apply dental applications and having a rim composed of material rendered adhesive by moderate heat. I

3. A non-flexible cup for attachment to a tooth to apply dental applications and having a rim composed of material rendered plastic and adhesive by moderate heat.

4. A non-flexible cup for attachment to a tooth to apply dental applications, the edge of the cup constituting adhesive means for its attachment to the tooth.

5. A rigid cup for attachment to a tooth tooth cavity and having a rim capable of adhesion to the tooth in combination with a medicated charge retained within the body of the cup at a distance from the rim thereof.

8. A cup for attachment to a tooth and formed of material having firmness when cold but softened by heat and then adapted to be conformed to the shape of the tooth by pressure, in combination with a medicated charge within the cup.

9. A cup for use within a tooth cavity to protect a dental treatment, in combination with a handle rigid with the cup, projecting from the convex surface of the cup.

10. A cup for use within a tooth cavity to protect a dental treatment, capable of withstanding greater pressure downwardly upon .the top than transversely thereto, in combination with a handle rigidly mounted thereon to facilitate manipulation of the cup.

11. A cup for use within a tooth cavity to protect a dental treatment adapted to be heated and rendered collapsible during application, in combination with a handle projecting from the outer surface of the cup.

12. A cup for use within a tooth cavity to protect a dental treatment, formed of gutta percha and having an integral handle projecting from its convex surface.

13. The method of applying and protecting dental treatments which consists in surrounding the dental treatment with a rigid cover, conforming the edges of the cover to the adjoining tooth, securing the edges so conformed to the tooth by adhesion and reinforcing the cover by anoutside support independently secured to the material of the tooth.

14:. The method of applying a protective cup in dental operation which consists in providing a cup of normally rigid material having normally rigid edges capable of being made plastic and adhesive by heat, heating the edges to render them plastic and adhesive, pressing the edges against the tooth material to conform it to the tooth surface and allowing it to cool against the surface to harden and adhere to the surface.

JAMES HERMAN ABBOTT. 

